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COBHAM’S PLANS

AVIATOR’S WONDERFUL RECORD

MUCH PIONEERING WORK DONE

A few years ago Sir Alan • Cobham, who is shortly to attempt' a record breaking flight to Australia, was much before the public as the result of his many long flights. In the winter of 1922-3 lie tried to secure support fo r a round-the-world flight, 'He had failed to do so when a former client, Mr Luci' e ii Sharpe, engaged him for a 12, 000-mile tpur, Without any forward organisation they wandered through Europe, the North African deserts, the Holy Land, Egypt, and Morocco, encountering only minor difficulties. In the first King's Cup race Sir Alan came in third, in th e second he was beaten by Captain '.Courtney, but in 1924 he won the cup. ■ln a reliability competition .at the Gothenburg Exhibition he made 999 points out of 1000, winning a gold cup and i£looo. He flew to Africa in a day in 1924, landing at Madrid and reaching Tangier (1250 miles) in 13J hours. In the following year Ji e piloted Sir W.. S. Brancker to 'lndia and Burma ana hack to enable the Director of Civil Aviation to survey possible air routes and select giteg for aerodromes in India. H e also flew to Zurich and back in a day in a D.H. “Moth” light aeroplane. In 1925-6 h P carried out his remarkable 16,000 mile flight to Capetown and back in a land plane to report on the possibility of aerial services in Africa. On the outward journey he was delayed by iimsuitable fuel, but the return trip was made in 14 days. On Jim© 30, 1926. Sir Alan, with A. B. Elliott, as machanic, set out on his great flight to Australia .and back in a seaplane, Except for four trial flights he had never piloted a seaplane before. He was so tired after the strenuous months of preparation that be hardly felt equal to the task before him. Having rested a day at Athens lie went on into Irak where he sometimes had to fly only a few feet above th e ground owing to dust-storms. This led to a tragic event. The seaplane was fired on, the bull t lodging in Elliott’s , body and causing his subsequent death. At Basra Sir Alan secured the services of Sergeant Ward, of the Royal Air Force as mechanic. After that the trip went smoothily across India and via Burma and the Malay Archipelago to Darwin and thence across Australia. The same route was followed on the homeward journey, which occupied about- a month in spite of the fact that he was held up by the mom soon. He had a great welcome home on October 1, 1926, and was knighted. Later he took Ihe leading p p rt in a film “The Flight Commander.” On November 17. 1927, Sir Alan set off with Lady Cobham, H. V. Worral] n« second pilot-, two mechanics and a emema photographer in a ShortErf's Rovce flying-boat to survey routes for African services, hjs routes being via the Nile and the Great Lakes to Capetown, returning along the Vest coast. Squadron-Leader William Helmore is ) attached to the Royal Aircraft Established for speHal duties concerning fuel research. He served in France, 1916, was flying instructor. 1917-18, flvirg examinci" at headquarters, inland area, 1921, and ©ninfloved on aeronautical m-oaroh at Cambridge University, 1923-28,

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HOG19330220.2.74

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1933, Page 7

Word count
Tapeke kupu
562

COBHAM’S PLANS Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1933, Page 7

COBHAM’S PLANS Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1933, Page 7

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